Vicki and Diana - Week 1

Diana is naturally a flighty, stressful mare but also the sweetest, seeking comfort and leadership in me. When I first enter the yard in the mornings, Diana is very wary and takes a while to settle. She is very reactive and sensitive but once I have my hands on she relaxes becomes inquisitive, initiating contact. We have photographed her teeth and sent them to equine dentists both in New Zealand and America who estimate her to be about 20 years old.

In the first week Diana has been haltered, taught to lead, tie up and can be brushed all over. Has ventured outside the yards and began work on obstacles, stepping over logs and up onto a platform. She struggles to stand still and relax. Because she always like to be on the move, it's difficult to get her focused and her brain engaged - with horses like this I believe it is important to slow things down so they can have time to process changes, so I have spent hours reading with her in the paddock. She learnt to stand quietly, although she was still on watch the entire time and chewed on things (including me!) to cope when stressed.